Each club’s breakout prospect from 2024

The 2024 Minor League regular season comes to a full close this week when Triple-A play concludes Sunday. Double-A, High-A and Single-A postseasons are well underway, and the Northwest League has already crowned a champion.

This is typically a time when baseball honors its standout performers from the year that was, and indeed, Minor League Baseball revealed the Single-A All-Stars and award winners on Wednesday. But here at MLB Pipeline, we’re always looking at performances through the prism of prospect standing, and we’ll take this end-of-season opportunity to honor players who sent their stocks soaring.

Here is one breakout prospect for each farm system from the 2024 regular season:

Blue Jays: Charles McAdoo, 3B/OF (No. 8)
A 13th-round pick last year, the San Jose State product was hitting .320/.399/.556 with 15 homers in 88 games between High-A and Double-A when he was traded from the Pirates to the Jays at the Deadline for Isiah Kiner-Falefa. His time with Double-A New Hampshire hasn’t gone as well (in part due to a .253 BABIP in a smallish sample and struggles against offspeed stuff), but it’s still safe to say the 22-year-old has put himself squarely on the radar as he’s gone from a mid-round pick to a Top 10 prospect and a player swapped straight up for a Major Leaguer.

Orioles: Patrick Reilly, RHP (No. 14)
The Pirates felt Reilly’s pure stuff was too good to pass up in the fifth round of the 2023 Draft, even though his ability to land it in the strike zone was very much in question. He was taking a nice step in the right direction during his first full season with a 3.38 ERA, .194 average-against and 11.0 K/9 while walking just 4.2 per nine in hitting-friendly High-A Greensboro when he was sent to the Orioles in the Billy Cook deal. The O’s bumped him up to Double-A and while the walks ticked up in a small sample (5.2/9 in 31 1/3 innings), he handled the assignment well, posting a 3.73 ERA, .194 BAA and 10.9 K/9 rate).

Rays: Gary Gill Hill, RHP (No. 7)
Prep pitchers are typically seen as projects, and as a 2022 sixth-rounder who was 17 on Draft Day, Gill Hill was going to need some time to develop into a notable name in a deep Rays system. “Some time,” however, took less than two years. The 19-year-old righty has blossomed this year into a hurler with at least three above-average pitches (fastball, slider, changeup) and ample control to stick as a starter. He posted a 3.15 ERA with 105 strikeouts in 108 2/3 innings for Single-A Charleston.

Red Sox: Kristian Campbell, 2B/SS/OF (No. 5/MLB No. 74)
After drafting Campbell in the supplemental fourth round last year out of Georgia Tech, the Red Sox helped him alter his bat path and gain strength and bat speed. That has helped his raw power, speed and athleticism translate better in pro ball and paid off with a .330/.439/.558 line with 20 homers and 24 steals in 115 games as he rose from High-A to Triple-A. He ranks second in the Minors in OPS (.997), third in on-base percentage, fourth in batting and sixth in slugging.

Yankees: Cam Schlittler, RHP (No. 25)
The Yankees thrive at turning mid-round draftees into legitimate pitching prospects and yet another example is Schlittler, a 2022 seventh-rounder from Northeastern. Armed with a lively 92-97 mph fastball and a tight mid-80s slider, he led the system in strikeouts (154 in 120 2/3 innings) and ranked second in ERA (3.36) while climbing from High-A to Triple-A.

Guardians: C.J. Kayfus, 1B/OF (No. 6)
Known more for his bat than his power in college at Miami, Kayfus has found more pop as a pro by improving his bat speed and driving more balls in the air to his pull side. The 2023 third-rounder slashed .291/.393/.511 with 17 homers and 92 RBI (seventh in the Minors) in 107 games between High-A and Double-A.

Royals: Noah Cameron, LHP (No. 12)
Entering the year, Cameron showed impressive control and a plus changeup that kept him in Kansas City’s Top 30, but a 6.10 ERA at Double-A Northwest Arkansas left much to be desired. He’s dominated the upper levels in 2024, especially Triple-A Omaha, where he sports a 2.50 ERA with 59 strikeouts and only nine walks in 50 1/3 innings entering Wednesday. Cameron’s 78-81 mph cambio continues to be a major strength with a 47.7 percent whiff rate at the Minors’ top level.

Tigers: Jaden Hamm, RHP (No. 7)
As Jason Beck noted in a recent Tigers newsletter, Hamm’s fastball had impressive ride at Middle Tennessee State, but considering his aim was typically at the knees, the heater’s location was much more hittable. He’s set his sights on the top of the zone in the Detroit system, and voilà, he’s finished his first full season with a 2.64 ERA and 122 strikeouts in 99 innings for High-A West Michigan. His above-average curveball gives him another weapon and solidifies his place as the Tigers’ second-best pitching prospect behind Jackson Jobe.

Twins: Zebby Matthews, RHP (No. 4/MLB No. 81)
Matthews began the year No. 20 on the Twins’ Top 30 and ended up not only in the Top 100, but in the big leagues. His first taste of The Show has been uneven, but given that he was an under-slot eighth-round pick in 2022 out of Western Carolina who began the year with High-A Cedar Rapids, he’s way ahead of the expectation curve. The stuff has ticked up and his extremely advanced feel for the zone continued as the right-hander led all Minor Leaguers with at least 90 IP in BB/9 (0.65), K/BB (16.29) and WHIP (0.87). He also was second in FIP (2.32) and xFIP (2.45).

White Sox: Brooks Baldwin, 2B (graduated from White Sox Top 30)
In a rough year for the White Sox, they may have found a long-term second baseman in Baldwin. A 12th-rounder from UNC Wilmington in 2022, he’s a switch-hitter who provides non-stop energy and versatility. Called up after batting .324/.391/.460 with eight homers and 17 steals in 82 games between Double-A and Triple-A, he hit .211/.250/.316 in 33 contests with Chicago before spraining his right wrist.

Angels: George Klassen, RHP (No. 3)
Klassen didn’t have a ton of track record at the University of Minnesota, but he was hitting triple digits with his fastball, albeit without much command, so the Phillies took a flier on him in the sixth round of the 2023 Draft, knowing he could be a bit of a project. They started him slowly, though he earned a promotion from Single-A to High-A after nine dominant starts, then included him in the trade with the Angels that brought Carlos Estévez to Philadelphia. He finished the year in Double-A, and even though the walks ticked up at the higher level, he finished with impressive combined numbers for the year: 93 IP, 3.10 ERA, 13.1 K/9, 4.5 BB/9, 1.18 WHIP, .195 BAA.

Astros: Anderson Brito, RHP (No. 8)
Brito may be the next low-cost Astros international signing ($10,000 out of Venezuela last November) to turn into a quality big league pitcher. He already has gained about 5 mph on his fastball, which now parks in the mid-90s and touches 99 mph with carry, and his lively low-80s slider acts as a second plus pitch. He logged a 1.51 ERA, .152 average-against and 82/21 K/BB ratio in 53 2/3 innings between two Rookie leagues and Single-A in his pro debut.

A’s: Colby Thomas, OF (No. 7)
The A’s third-rounder in 2022, Thomas had a solid first full season of pro ball with 18 homers and 25 steals, but concerns about his aggressive approach (146/37 K/BB across two levels of A ball) once he got to the upper levels led to a little hesitation in evaluating him. Well, his approach still could use some refinement (137/38 K/BB), but it’s clear his power-speed combination will play as he has 30 homers and 15 steals while playing his way from Double-A to Triple-A.

Mariners: Lazaro Montes, OF (No. 3/MLB No. 45)
A well-regarded prospect who signed for $2.5 million in January 2022, Montes wasn’t in our Top 100 to start the year, but now he’s in the top 50. After a solid U.S. debut in 2023 in which he reached full-season ball for the first time, Montes really established his run-producing prospect bona fides by hitting 21 homers and driving in 105 runs between Single-A Modesto and High-A Everett. There’s confidence he’ll be able to continue to get to that power thanks to an advanced approach that has resulted in a career .414 OBP (and .940 OPS) to date.

Rangers: Alejandro Rosario, RHP (No. 3)
The Rangers drafted Rosario in 2023’s fifth round despite his 6.53 ERA in three college seasons at Miami, and he has blossomed after making some changes to his mechanics and pitch usage. Operating with a mid-90s fastball that touches 100 mph with run and sink, a tumbling 88-92 mph splitter and a tight 83-85 mph slider, he posted a 2.24 ERA, .207 average-against and 129/13 K/BB ratio in 88 1/3 innings between two Class A stops.

Braves: Drue Hackenberg, RHP (No. 9)
The Braves clearly saw something in Hackenberg after signing the Draft-eligible sophomore with an over-slot bonus in 2023’s second round despite an uneven season at Virginia Tech. They’re looking very smart now as the right-hander used his four-pitch mix to go from High-A Rome all the way to Triple-A Gwinnett. He’s missed bats (10.2 K/9) and gotten a ton of ground-ball outs (1.59 GO/AO) while posting a .214 BAA and 3.14 ERA across 123 1/3 combined innings.

Marlins: Agustin Ramirez, C/1B (No. 3)
Only two AL/NL catchers ever have recorded 20-20 seasons, but Ramirez joined Bo Naylor as the second Minor League backstop to do so in the last three years. Acquired from the Yankees in the Jazz Chisholm trade in July, Ramirez slashed .263/.353/.474 with 23 homers and 21 steals in 121 games between Double-A and Triple-A. He offers solid power and arm strength, but his receiving, framing and blocking are still works in progress.

Mets: Brandon Sproat, RHP (No. 1/MLB No. 37)
You could certainly put Jonah Tong here for his jump from unranked to No. 10 in the Mets system, but we’ll highlight Sproat not only for his rise among New York prospects but for vaulting into the Top 100 as well. The 24-year-old right-hander sports a 3.31 ERA and 1.08 WHIP with 129 strikeouts over 114 1/3 innings, thanks to an upper-90s fastball, plus slider and plus changeup. He’ll need to rebound from initial Triple-A struggles in 2025, but he’s closing in on becoming a big part of the Mets’ rotation depth.

Nationals: Andry Lara, RHP (No. 17)
Travis Sykora and Jarlin Susana’s performances have made them the stars of the Nationals’ pitching pipeline, but we knew they had quality stuff entering 2024. Lara, by comparison, had fallen off the Top 30 after failing to miss bats last season (66 strikeouts in 98 1/3 High-A innings). He was back in a big way this summer with a 3.34 ERA and 132 K’s in 134 2/3 innings between High-A and Double-A, thanks to a 92-94 mph fastball and plus slider. Rule 5-eligible again this winter, Lara may have pitched his way onto Washington’s 40-man roster.

Phillies: Jean Cabrera, RHP (No. 13)
Cabrera wasn’t on the Phillies’ Top 30 at all to start the year and now he’s on the top half of the list thanks to a very strong season with High-A Jersey Shore that led to a late promotion to Double-A Reading. This came on the heels of spending two seasons with Single-A Clearwater. He throws a lot of strikes (2.8 BB/9 this year) and misses bats (9.3 K/9) with his fastball, changeup and slider. Added strength could lead to triple-digit fastballs, but he’s showing his stuff now can get hitters out.

Brewers: Jesus Made, SS/3B (No. 17)
Signed for $950,000 in January, Made was named Milwaukee’s Complex Player of the Month in June, July and August as one of the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League’s most consistent performers. The 17-year-old switch-hitter finished his DSL time with a .331/.458/.554 line, six homers, 28 steals and 28/39 K/BB ratio in 51 games. A standout for his contact and hard-hit rates, Made could follow Jackson Chourio, Luis Lara and Yophery Rodriguez as DSL stars who skipped the Arizona Complex League and headed straight to Single-A for their second Minor League seasons.

Cardinals: Quinn Mathews, LHP (No. 3/MLB No. 80)
A fourth-round pick and senior sign out of Stanford, Mathews was known more for being a workhorse than a standout with sharp stuff. That narrative has changed, thanks to a fastball that’s averaged closer to 94-95 mph and a changeup that projects as a plus pitch. Pitching across all four full-season levels this year, Mathews leads the Minor Leagues with 197 strikeouts in 137 1/3 innings.

Cubs: Alfonsin Rosario, OF (No. 22)
The younger brother of Padres infielder Eguy Rosario, Rosario displayed some of the best all-around tools (well-above-average raw power and arm strength, plus speed) in the Cubs system during his first full pro season. A 2023 sixth-rounder out of a South Carolina high school, he batted .230/.344/.423 with 16 homers and 20 steals in 109 games at Single-A.

Pirates: Carlson Reed, RHP (No. 30)
The 6-foot-4 right-hander has always had the repertoire to start with three pitches that could be at least above-average in his fastball, slider and changeup. Command had been the main obstacle after he walked 5.2 per nine (5.9/9 in his 2023 Draft year) at West Virginia. He sliced that to 4.2 per nine while pitching across two levels of A ball this year and the Pirates think he has a chance to start after finishing the year with a 1.99 ERA, .173 BAA, 1.30 GO/AO and 10.8 K/9 over 108 2/3 IP.

Reds: Adam Serwinowski, LHP (No. 26)
When the Reds drafted Serwinowski out of high school in 2022, he was a 6-foot-5 lefty who barely scraped 90 mph with his fastball. He’s added strength and velocity since then, touching the upper 90s, to go along with a potentially plus power curve. There’s still more progress to be made, but it was encouraging he amassed more than 85 innings in his first taste of full-season ball and finished with a 3.57 ERA, 11.1 K/9 rate and .205 BAA.

D-backs: Demetrio Crisantes, 2B/3B (No. 13)
Crisantes was an Arizona Complex League repeater at the start of the season but quickly showed he was too good for the Rookie-level circuit with a .355 average through 29 games. The 2022 seventh-rounder was just as sharp at Single-A Visalia and ended the regular season with a 57-game on-base streak from June 25 to Sept. 8. His .341 average ranked second-best among 607 Minor Leaguers with at least 400 plate appearances, while his .429 OBP placed fifth.

Dodgers: Alex Freeland, SS (No. 4/MLB No. 73)
The second-highest drafted position player (third round, 2022) ever from of the University of Central Florida, Freeland emerged as one of the best all-around shortstop prospects in the Minors this summer while hitting .252/.382/.416 with 15 homers and 30 steals as he advanced from High-A to Triple-A. He’s a switch-hitter with 20-homer potential and quality defense.

Giants: Trent Harris, RHP (No. 17) and Bo Davidson, OF (No. 26)
The Giants scored with not one but two nondrafted free agents from North Carolina in 2023. The son of former big leaguer Greg Harris, Trent signed for $10,000 out of UNC Pembroke and compiled a 1.81 ERA, .173 average-against and 105/25 K/BB ratio while moving from Single-A to Double-A. He deals with a mid-90s fastball and a pair of potential plus breaking pitches. Davidson turned pro for $50,000 out of Caldwell CC and slashed .327/.437/.605 with 11 homers in 63 games between Rookie ball and Single-A. He features plus raw power and speed to go with solid arm strength.

Padres: Bradgley Rodriguez, RHP (No. 11)
Entering this summer, the last time Rodriguez pitched for an affiliate (not counting the Venezuelan Winter League) was 2021 in the DSL. Now back completely, the 20-year-old right-hander roared through three levels, finishing with a 2.64 ERA, .180 average-against and 75 strikeouts in 61 1/3 innings as a Single-A, High-A and Double-A reliever. His fastball tops out in the triple digits, and his upper-80s changeup is almost as effective a pitch. Rodriguez could be a bullpen option for San Diego next summer.

Rockies: Sean Sullivan, LHP (No. 10)
Chase Dollander was obviously the cream of the pitching crop the Rockies brought in via the 2023 Draft, going No. 9 overall. And he had a very good year. Sullivan, the second-rounder, came in with less fanfare, but maybe was better than his organization mate, leading the Rockies system in a host of categories: ERA (2.11), BB/9 (1.17), K/BB (8.33), BAA (.212), WHIP (0.91) and more, while making it to Double-A in his first full season.